Fittler gets nod as NSW Origin coach

NEW NSW coach Brad Fittler has already dropped a shock Blues bolter for the 2018 Origin series, while outlining his ruthless selection policy.

Fittler had been coach of the Blues for only about 10 minutes when he named Mitchell Moses as a possible debutant for next year's series.

Moses played under Fittler for Lebanon at the World Cup, and helped the Cedars to a quarter-final before being bundled out.

His form for Parramatta last season was solid, and he's long been touted as a future State of Origin playmaker.

Fittler did not hesitate in naming the 23-year-old as an option in the halves for NSW.

"He was awesome ... a big part of what Lebanon did during the World Cup came down to him,” Fittler said of Moses.

"He came up with some really big moments so he was outstanding, and what it does is it puts pressure on the current halves and the halves that are in contention.

"If he can have that sort of attitude under that pressure, and the fact is he was playing in a team that was going backwards most of the time and were sort of just hanging on, and he came up with big moments.

"He showed so much more than I thought he had, and off the field as well.”

Mitchell Pearce and James Maloney will be under pressure to retain their spots in the NSW side after losing another series to Queensland this year.

The likes of Matt Moylan and Adam Reynolds were already breathing down their neck for positions in the halves.

And Fittler says the No.6 and No.7 jumpers are wide open as of now.

"Mitch Moses has put pressure on everyone. The way he stayed composed under pressure shows his football is designed for State of Origin,” Fittler said.

"He's only been playing a couple of years, his body is in really good shape at the moment ... we're still a long way away from State of Origin.”

Fittler's role as coach of Lebanon has been praised for the work he did with the Cedars at the World Cup.

And he plans to bring a similar culture to the Blues.

Straight off the bat, he's vowed to select only players whom he believes will take pride in the famous Blues jumper.

It's a selection policy he is adamant to uphold.

"I think the way they treat their club is pretty important,” he said of the players.

"If they feel like they're responsible to their club they'll be responsible to the Blues and I think that's very important.”